Home
by Kaychan87
Summary: Everything he ever did was for her. She was his everything and being with her was like being home. GinRan.


**Home**

A Bleach One-Shot (Characters belong to Kubo Tite)  
Inspired by Daughtry's _Home_

* * *

Darkness was all that he could see. All his other senses felt muddled as well, as though his entire body was submerged into icy cold water. He knew he should feel something, anything. Pain, fear, anything. Maybe he was already dead. Maybe there was no after life for the likes of him. Maybe living in darkness with no feeling was his punishment for all his sins. It would be fitting after everything he had done. After all, who said Hell was fire and brimstone for everyone? Hell for Ichimaru Gin would be dying and never seeing the face of his salvation again. Never knowing if he had avenged her, if he had saved her from a fate worse than death. Gin's Hell was everywhere his Rangiku couldn't go. She was his home, his other half, his everything. Without her, death was preferable.

"GIN!"

Gin felt his eyes flutter open slightly. His vision was blurred but he could make out the strawberry colour of Rangiku's hair. He forced himself to blink until his eyes focused on her face. But it was the same face he was expecting. This face was younger, happier albeit a little thinner.

"Wake up, sleepy head!" Her voice was almost childish and the most carefree he had heard in a long time.

"Ran… Rangiku?" he asked, hesitantly. Even his own voice sounded different.

"Who else would come looking for you here?" the younger version of his other half replied with a confused smile.

"Ain't no one lookin' fer me but you," he replied, a slow smile creeping onto his face.

"Well, let's go home then!" Rangiku told him, offering her hand.

"Yeah, home," he agreed, reaching up to take her hand. He would follow her anywhere she wanted to go. With her, he felt love and he felt whole. He clasped her small, delicate hand with his own. Being with her cost him nothing and gave him everything. He closed his eyes and let himself be carried away by the feeling of her tiny hand in is, in the feeling of her unwavering faith and love.

"Open your eyes Gin! You can't leave me like this!"

Gin struggled to open his eyes again. When he did, he was met with Rangiku's tear filled blue eyes. He tried to flash her his trademark smile but found he could only grimace instead. After all he had done to get her back what Aizen had taken from her, he had failed her completely. And now he was on the verge of leaving her again to somewhere she could never follow.

"You can't leave me again, Gin!" she pleaded with him, her voice dropping to just barely above a whisper.

"Ya still love me?" he asked in disbelief, his own voice a thin, hoarse whisper.

"Shhh. We need to get you to a healer," the busty red-head said, quieting the fallen man.

Gin tried to shake his head and grimaced again. "No use," he said after a moment.

Rangiku's tear stained face contorted into a look of horror. "Don't say that!" she almost shrieked.

"Ain't ever been good fer ya," Gin told her. What he had meant to say was how sorry he was for always leaving her. He wanted to tell her he wished he had spent more time loving her the way she deserved. He especially needed to apologize for not being a part of her future. "Fergive me."

Rangiku just shook her head violently. "You can't leave me again! I just got you back! I can't go home without you!"

Gin just smiled – a rare, sincere smile he only ever used with Rangiku – and brushed his fingers lightly against her damp but soft cheeks. "I'll be waitin' fer ya," he murmured, feeling a sudden tiredness he hadn't felt before that moment. Gin was tired – tired of running, tired of fighting, tired of being the cause of Rangiku's tears. His fingers dropped from her cheek and his breathing began to slow. "Be waitin' at home."

Rangiku let out a half sob, half scream as she pulled Gin's body closer to hers and held him tight. She remained with him, crying and holding on for dear life, well after the battle with Aizen was over. And even then, Rangiku had refused to be parted from him until she could bring him home. Not to Seireitei, but to the only place that could ever truly be their home. There she could be with him even if his body was gone. His spirited and their shared memories would always be her solace, her home.


End file.
